If you have teenage daughters or you just love trendy (and cheap) clothes, you’ve likely heard of Shein. You can get the latest styles at a fraction of what they cost at brick-and-mortar stores around us, so it’s no wonder it’s incredibly popular.
But what happens when something doesn’t fit or doesn’t look how you thought it would? Since there aren’t any local stores, you might wonder if you can return items, and if so, at what cost?
We’ve uncovered everything there is to know about the Shein return policy to see if it’s worth shopping at Shein and enjoying their crazy low prices.
The Good News – You can Return Items to Shein
Not only does Shein offer incredibly low prices on all your favorite fashions, but you can also return items too.
You get 45 days to change your mind. This means the package must be postmarked by the 45th day after the purchase date (the date you bought the items online). That’s not all, though.
Your first return from an order is FREE. Shein supplies the shipping label. You provide the box and bring it to the post office or your local UPS store (you get to choose). So it requires a little legwork from you, but no money so it’s a win-win in my book.
You also don’t need a receipt. This is a big deal to many people. If you’re prone to losing receipts, you don’t have to worry since Shein is only online. You need a Shein account to purchase items. When you want to return them, just log into the same account and there will be a record of your purchase.
The Bad News – Additional Returns Cost Money
If you change your mind about other items in the order after returning something in the order already, you’ll pay to return them. You can either use Shein’s shipping label and pay $7.99 per shipment or send it back using your preferred method.
If you think you can ship it back for less than $7.99, you may want to use an alternative method to return it.
If you use Shein’s shipping label, they’ll deduct $7.99 from your refund to cover the additional shipping cost.
The best way to avoid this is to make sure you’re 100% happy with the entire order. Give yourself a little time to make sure you like the other items and before your order hits 45 days, return everything at once and it’s free!
Initiating a Return is Easy
Shein makes it easy to start a return. Start by logging into your Shein account and clicking on ‘My Orders.’ Next, find the order you want to return and select ‘Return Item.’ Make sure you check all the items you want to return so you don’t have to pay to ship if you change your mind about another item.
You’ll enter a reason for the return and then finalize the order. They won’t turn down your reason to return it as long as you follow their instructions.
Shein gives you the option to choose UPS or USPS, whichever is more convenient for you. Once you choose your shipping method, print your label, place it on the box, and ship it back.
Watch Where you Send your Return
It’s important to process your return through your Shein account before sending it back. The return address on the package you received is NOT the return address.
Process the return in your account and use the provided shipping label to send it back. If you use your shipping method for additional returns, make sure you have the correct address or you won’t get your refund.
Receiving your Refund Takes Time
Once you send your package back to Shein, it can take up to 7 business days AFTER they receive it for you to receive your refund. Since the pandemic, though, refunds have taken as long as 15 days.
When you process the return, it will ask you if you want the money back to your Shein wallet or the original payment method.
If you think you’ll shop at Shein again, you can take the Shein credit and use it the next time you shop. If you found the clothing just isn’t for you, though, request the money back using the payment method you used.
You Can’t Return Worn Clothing
Unfortunately, you cannot return worn clothing. Shein requires that the tags are still attached to the clothing and that any hygiene tags are in place too. The clothing must not have been washed or have been damaged.
If you wore something or even tried it on, but cut the tags off, you cannot return it. Keep that in mind when your Shein packages arrive. Try all clothes on with the tags still attached. If you aren’t sure about them, keep the tags on and make sure you make up your mind 45 days after the purchase date (this isn’t the date you received the items, but rather the day you placed the order.)
You Can’t Return These Items
Sometimes there are products you cannot return even if you’re within the 45-day window. These items include:
- Lingerie and bodysuits
- Beauty products
- Jewelry
- Underwear
- Pet supplies
- Accessories
- Any items marked non-returnable
- Gifts with purchase
You can Return Clearance Items
Most stores don’t allow you to return clearance items, but Shein is an exception. The only items you cannot return are those marked ‘non-returnable’ which you’ll see in the description.
If the item doesn’t say ‘non-returnable’ you can return items even if you bought them for a fraction of their regular price.
FAQs – Shein Return Policy
Does Shein do free returns?
Yes, your returns to Shein are free, but only the first return. If you return additional items within the same order, it will cost you at least $7.99.
Shein covers the cost of your first return. This means if you return one item or the entire order with multiple products Shein covers the cost. But, if you return something from the order and then decide you want to return something else from the order Shein will charge you $7.99 or you can ship it back at your own cost.
Does Shein run big or small?
Shein tends to run small, so keep that in mind when you shop for items there. If you’re trying to avoid returning items, you might want to size up. They also have a handy size guide for each item so you can compare your normal size to the size guide to determine what size to buy.
If you buy an item and it doesn’t fit right, you have 45 days from the date you bought it to return it. Because Shein items can take a while to show up, you might not have as long as you think to return, so don’t wait too long.
How long do Shein refunds take?
Once you send the item back to Shein, it can take up to a week for them to receive it. The time depends on how long the shipping itself takes, plus the time for Shein to log the receipt of the items.
Once Shein has the items, it can take 7 – 15 days to get your refund. Shein states on their website that refunds are taking longer since the pandemic. They used to take 7 days maximum but lately have been taking as long as 2 weeks.
Is Shein clothing good?
The prices Shein charges might make you think they are poor quality. The clothes are always trendy, but the prices are incredibly low. The quality itself varies, though. Some items are crazy good quality for the price and others make you think that you get what you pay for (not the best).
Shein’s return policy is liberal enough that you can take your chances on some items and see what you think. If they arrive and you think the quality isn’t good enough or they don’t fit, you can return them within 45 days.
Final Thoughts – Shein Return Policy is Forgiving
Many online stores either don’t accept returns or give you a small window of opportunity. Shein gives you plenty of time to return your products, though. They even cover the cost of shipping the items back the first time.
If you can make up your mind on all products within your order at once and send them back within 45 days, you’ll get a full refund. If you change your mind after making one return, it might cost you, but you can still return the items.
The flexible return policy makes it easy to take a chance on some really fun clothing with prices lower than almost any other store you’ll find.
